BP Annual Player Comments

Year

Comment

2019

Due to publishing agreements, the 2019 player comments and team essays are only available in the Baseball Prospectus 2019 book (available in hardcopy, and soon e-book and Kindle).

2018

Rios has managed to defy the conventions of his profile thus far, continuing to hit for massive power up through the high minors despite modest bat speed, an aggressive approach and a bunch of length into the zone. He's done it by leveraging that length better than most, with a gorgeously balanced, fluid swing that delivers his barrel at an angle capable of producing majestic, carrying fly balls. Provided his best-in-the-system raw power translates, the rest of it isn't going to matter much. And that's a welcome thing for his fans, as despite continuing to see reps at the hot corner his defensive lot is much more likely that of a passable first baseman. The bat's the thing here, and so far it has proven up to the task of carrying him to the doorstep of a big-league career.

2017

The Dodgers' minor leaguer player of the year, Rios burst onto the scene by slamming 27 home runs across three different levels, ultimately ending the season in Double-A Tulsa. The 2015 sixth-rounder makes up for average bat speed with enough strength that there are rumors Brut is looking into a sponsorship deal. Don't be fooled by his Cal League-inflated batting average: Rios' game is predicated on power, as his long swing features enough holes that Shia Labeouf could star in it. A third baseman by trade, his likely home is at the cold corner thanks to plodding feet, which negatively affect his range. There will be always be bushels of strikeouts, but if he can somehow manage to make patience second nature—to go walking in his sleep—a move across the diamond would would hardly matter.

BP Articles

BP Chats

Since you're a Dodgers fan. Is Connor Wong anything for a dynasty league? What under the radar prospects do you like in their system? Thanks.(Mark from Los Angeles)

See my earlier answers re: catching prospects in dynasty leagues. I like Wong a decent amount as an IRL prospect. I'm a long-established Edwin Rios fan, I just can't help loving his bat despite its profile warts. Miguel Vargas is a guy I'm excited to see in a longer look at full-season pitching next year. Errol Robinson's a random guy with a weird swing who makes it work and seems to max out his physical talents. Might force his way into big-league utility reps with up-the-middle viability at some point. I always like those kinds of guys. (Wilson Karaman)

Edwin Rios made it to AAA this year and hit well. Is he going to be an every day regular for some team?(Keith from Los Angeles)

I can't possibly be expected to resist the opportunity to expand on Rios, can I? His profile is ripe for skepticism - hell I'll still be skeptical until I'm not - but he's answered pretty much every challenge thrown at him thus far. The aggressiveness in approach and length in, well, everything he does, makes him a really difficult convince for scouts. I just love how balanced and fluid a hitter he is, though. There are few swings I've seen with more grace and extension, even if the underlying fundamentals will be challenged to work against elite velo and sequencing. I wrote him up last year as a 50/40: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_bat.php?reportid=383

But hey, even if he doesn't materialize as a legit big-leaguer, at least we'll always have arguably the most majestic home run I've ever seen hit in person: https://youtu.be/Z0vPlBfpoXQ?t=43s (Wilson Karaman)

Were you surprised Texas was unable to get any of LAs high upside 2nd tier prospects or upper level high floor prospects.
Most of us knew they wouldnt get Verdugo or Buehler but I thought theyd at least get a couple of Heredia, Ruiz, Mitch White, Kyle Farmer, Edwin Rios etc.(Dirky dirk from Buffalo Bills dungeon)

Well, when you're selling a rental in a deadline deal like this, you sort of have three ways you can play it depending on the player/context involved: 1) salary dump, marginal prospects back, 2) quantity return, couple higher-probability/lower-ceiling guys, 3) one centerpiece a step below "top prospect," couple other A-ball lotto tickets. Rangers elected for Door #3. If they'd elected for Door #2, then these are the kinds of guys I'd have expected to be involved. I will say that the fact nobody pried Dennis Santana off these guys is downright crimi-nimi-nal. (Wilson Karaman)

Will Smith and Edwin Rios are tearing up A+ and AA, respectively, for the Dodgers. Should we be viewing either one as a potential regular in the next couple of years?(This Guy from Seattle, WA)

I think Smith could move pretty quick, and wouldn't be surprised to see him in Tulsa shortly given his college background and defensive chops. He's probably a starter in the second-division mold depending on what he can bring to the table in terms of framing -- a viable starter but someone you'd upgrade on given the opportunity. Rios is another Karaman-favorite, but similar to Hoskins it's an uphill battle given the defensive profile. The thunder is real though. (Craig Goldstein)

I dunno about "best," but I've been waiting for an opportunity to work Edwin Rios into this chat, so by gum I'm a-gonna take this as my opportunity. He got promoted to AA a couple weeks ago and has continued to buck all logic and profile doctrine to post disgusting power numbers there in spite of a hyper-aggressive approach and hella length in his swing. He's got really impressive hand-eye and body control in his (gigantic) weight transfer, and he attacks the point of contact like a runaway train, so when he *does* hit the ball he hits it very, very hard. He moves about as quickly as a three-toed sloth on the dirt, and he's one of the slowest guys I've seen all year going down the line, so paired with the swing-at-most-pitches approach, it's really not a profile that tends to sniff major league potential all too often. But he's one of those "stop what you're doing, this guy's up" hitters, or at least the minor league version thereof, and he's sorta starting to force the conversation with this breakout year. (Wilson Karaman)